Uruguay senate votes to legalize same-sex marriage

Uruguay's Senate on Tuesday voted to legalize gay marriage by approving a single law governing matrimony for heterosexuals and homosexuals.

Senators voted 23-8 in favour of the bill, which was passed by the lower house in December. It must now return to the lower chamber of Congress with changes.

If approved, the law would make Uruguay the second nation in Latin America and the 12th in the world to legalize gay marriage. Argentina legalized same-sex marriage in 2010.

The Director of International Coordination for Human Life International, Joseph Meaney, spoke to Christopher Wells about the new legislation: “It’s part of a trend actually in Uruguay , which is a very liberal country by Latin American standards.”

Speaking about the broader social context in Latin America, he noted that the legalisation of same sex “marriage” in Argentina probably had an influence in Uruguay. He said, “In fact, Pope Francis when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires spoke out very strongly, and of course the bishops in Uruguay have as well.”

He said, “One thing that is strange about Uruguay is that they actually legalised the adoption of children by same sex couples before they legalised same sex ‘marriage’ . . . of course when they did so, the Church protested tremendously, including Archbishop Nicolas Cotugno, saying that is was completely against human nature and the fundamental rights of the human being of the person.”

“But it’s a very radical agenda,” Meaney said. “It’s not just same sex marriage, but even before they passed that, they passed civil unions and the adoption of children by homosexual couples.”

Listen to the complete interview of Joseph Meaney with Christopher Wells: